This Ain't Georgia
by Siancore
Summary: Based on a request by the ever-lovely Alex311: AU where Rick and Michonne were married before the Turn. I have given this request some serious consideration and wanted to write it from the view that Michonne would have been in hospital when people were evacuated and someone told Rick and Carl that she had died in order to get them to leave
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Turn

A/N: Based on a request by the ever-lovely **Alex311**: AU where Rick and Michonne were married before the Turn. I have given this request some serious consideration and wanted to write it from the view that Michonne would have been in hospital when people were evacuated and someone told Rick and Carl that she had died in order to get them to leave. Anyways, this is a bit different, so please let me know what you think.

\m/ o.o\m/

"Okay. No, no. It's fine. Alright. Thank you for lettin' me know."

_Click._

Rick Grimes hung up the phone and pinched the bridge of his nose before sighing deeply. He still had no idea what was really going on with the virus that had been spreading, but patients from the County hospitals who were in critical condition were being evacuated by helicopter to Atlanta. He had recently been informed that Michonne would be flown out with the next lot of critical patients to Northside Hospital; Rick did not know what they would do. Panic had already set in and people were getting ready to leave their town.

Rick felt another wave of sadness overcome him; he and Michonne had built a life for themselves there in King County. They were both previously married and widowed; their respective losses brought them closer together and they formed a solid, loving relationship. They married when his son Carl was 15, his daughter Judith was two and her son André was four. A year later, and they were expecting their first child together. A year later, and a terrible virus was sweeping across the world where people were becoming like rabid animals and hurting others. The government had done its best to keep people from panicking, but the television networks were running the footage all day every day and people were afraid. The logical choice, it seemed, was to head to the larger cities where the humanitarian and medical aid would be.

Yet Rick did not want to leave their home, he wanted to be there when Michonne returned from hospital. If things got really bad how else would she know where to find them? It had been a month since the first reports of the illness had been leaked to the news stations, and two weeks since Rick, a police officer, had seen it firsthand. He knew it spread fast and that the infected tore others apart with their bare hands and teeth. It was the most horrific and frightful thing he had witnessed. Rick knew things were going to get much worse, and he was determined to keep his children safe.

\m/ o.o\m/

_3 days later…_

Rick barely slept the night before, and had not heard any further news regarding his wife and unborn child. He knew Michonne had arrived safely in Atlanta, but that was all he knew. He woke from a light slumber and glanced around his dimly lit room; his children were still fast asleep next to him. Judith and André tucked safely between him and Carl. He had convinced his partner Shane Walsh that he could protect the children in his own home, therefore they did not have to move, at least not just now.

Rick quietly slipped out of bed and went down stairs; he turned on the television set for an update on the current situation they were in. The screen was blank and a notice that informed him that there was no signal flashed in the middle of the set. Next, Rick tried the radio that sat atop the window sill in the kitchen; all he could pick up was static. He turned the dial several times before he was able to receive anything. It was a recorded message from his Sheriff's Department advising residents that it was safest for them to evacuate their homes and relocate to the local high school where a central safe-zone had been established.

Rick found his cell phone and dialled Shane's number; there was no answer because there was no signal. He walked around the house holding the phone high up into the air, and trying his best friend once again. Still, there was nothing. Rick opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. He noticed the neighbourhood seemed eerily quiet and most of his neighbours' vehicles were not in their driveways. He glanced around and then spotted someone who looked familiar; it was Joshua from around the corner, if he was not mistaken.

Rick walked quickly down his garden path and approached the young man. As he got closer, he noticed that something was not quite right. Joshua's face looked discoloured and blood appeared to be running from his mouth.

"Josh, are you okay?" Rick asked as he stopped in his tracks and stared.

An indecipherable groaning was all that came from his mouth as he reached his arms out to Rick. Joshua caught Rick by the shoulders as Rick used his law enforcement training to throw the man to the ground. He managed to force his arm behind his back while he tried to get Joshua to stop squirming. Just then, a squad car rounded the corner and came to a stop near where Rick had Joshua subdued. Shane stepped out of the vehicle and looked at Rick disbelievingly.

"What the fuck are you doin'?" He asked his partner.

"He attacked me!" Rick said, a little short of breath. "Help me get him up."

"Fuck no! He's infected; we gotta put him down." Said Shane.

"What? What the fuck are you talkin' about, Walsh? He's a civilian. He's my neighbour!"

Said Rick exasperatedly, totally unaware of how dangerous the situation had become. Shane looked at his best friend and then drew his sidearm.

"Rick, you don't get it. You've been locked in your house for the past few days. Shit's hit the fan, bro. And the longer we stay out here in the street and argue about it, the more danger we're in. You gotta trust me on this one." Shane exclaimed.

"Once you're infected, that's it. You're as good as dead, but you're still able to walk and attack. There ain't no way 'round it. One scratch, one bite and you're fucked! Now move and let me do this!"

Rick, still struggling to hold Joshua in place, looked to Shane. He knew his friend was genuinely telling the truth, but found it so hard to believe that things with the virus had escalated. Just as Rick was about to let go of his hold on what used to be Joshua, he heard a loud scream coming from his house. One of the infected had grabbed his son, Carl.

\m/ o.o\m/

Michonne had woken in her hospital bed to the sound of people rushing about; every so often a piercing scream cut through the walls of her room and caused her shudder in fear.

_What's going on? Is this some kind of dream?_

She thought as she tried to sit up, in her heavily pregnant state. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and slid to the cold, linoleum floor. Slowly and quietly, she crept towards the door turned the knob; she peered through the small gap and had to cover her mouth to stifle her own scream. There were bodies lying in the corridor, most of which looked to have been mutilated beyond recognition. She saw one of the infected leaning over the form of one of the fallen; the infected woman was covered in blood and had the disembowelled intestines of the other person in her hands. She frantically brought the guts to her mouth and began to devour them.

Michonne could scarcely believe what she was witnessing when suddenly, one of the bodies that was on the floor began to shake violently and sat upright. The reanimated person looked much like the infected woman with discoloured skin and a white film covering her eyes. Just then, a nurse came around the corner and was set upon by both creatures.

Michonne watched on in silent horror as they tore the young man apart; his screams went right through her being and she slammed the door closed before locking it. She could not stop herself from shaking and protectively placed her hand over her unborn child. They had said it would be safer to be sent to the city hospitals until the powers that be got the virus under control, but this, Michonne thought; this was a nightmare.

She wiped her tears and tried to calm her own nerves when the sounds of gunfire rang out. Instinctively Michonne, moved as fast as she could and hid herself away in the adjoining bathroom. She sat atop the toilet and shook out of fear. She could hear yelling and then there was a loud banging at her door; she jumped as the door was forced open with a thud. Gunshots still fired and the voices got closer. Michonne gasped as the door to the bathroom was flung open and a man in military fatigues pointed a very large gun at her.

* * *

><p>AN: Alex311, I hope you like what I've come up with so far; there's more to come! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Fuckin' Nightmare

A/N: Thanks to those who have read and reviewed; and to those who have chosen to favourite and follow this story.

Alex311: I'm glad you liked the first chapter! If you hadn't have suggested a story where Richonne were married _before_ the ZA, I may not have even thought of writing anything like this, so thank you! I hope you find the next chapter just as pleasing. I always wondered what it would have been like if they examined the outbreak from the beginning, so I hope my musings do it justice.

Guest: Thank you for reading!

CodeName-M.e: Thank you! I think Shane and Rick's friendship has always been interesting; here I want to show the connection and loyalty that friends have and the unique bond between a cop and their partner. Now, I think you'll be even more worried for Michonne after this chapter…

\m/ o.o\m/

Before Rick could get up from where he held a reanimated Joshua to the ground, Shane leapt over both of them and ran towards Carl, who had been knocked down by the rabid human. He drove the butt of his pistol down with adrenaline fuelled force and lodged it into the back of its skull. The limp body fell on top of Carl as he let out another scream. Seconds later, Rick was by their side, pulling the corpse off of his son and checking him over.

"Were you bitten, Carl? Did it scratch you? Carl!"

Asked Rick frantically; a shot went off behind them as Shane put a bullet in Joshua's head. Shane then informed Rick to get Carl inside and barricade the door. Once all three were inside, the men asked Carl again if he was okay; after examining the shaken teenager, they realized that he had been unharmed. Rick ran up the stairs and checked on Judith and André, both had been roused by the commotion downstairs but were safe; Rick led his frightened children down the creaking stairs before fortifying the backdoor.

Shane explained what had changed in the last forty-eight hours or so; the virus had spread exponentially and more and more people were suffering from the effects. He told them how the infected were literally the dead ambling around; how those who were bitten or scratched caught a fever, died and then came back differently. They were the walking dead.

No one in a position of power knew how to counteract the contagion because they did not know where it had come from; there was no contingency plan for an outbreak such as the one they were faced with. It did not even have a name as yet. It was the worst virus that any society had seen in a very long time and had reached even the farthest corners of the world. The World Health Organization still had no treatments to remedy it and the Federal Emergency Management Agency had finally been sent into rural Georgia to coordinate a response. Presently, there was not much that could be done; communications technology went down everywhere and no one knew for certain that there was an end in sight. Those who were becoming infected were killing those who were not, and the only way to stop the infected was to kill them by way of a head wound; the world's population was steadily dwindling and no one knew just how much damage had truly been done.

Rick tried not to let the panic set in as Carl stared blankly and the smaller children cried for Michonne; _Michonne._ He still had no idea what was happening with his wife. If the reports that Shane had given him were anything to go on, the city was the safest place for her to be right now. She could be given medical treatment and most of the military would surely be deployed in the cities. She would be safe, he reasoned; she had to be.

"What are we gonna do? What's the government doin'?" Asked Rick, still quite shaken from the ordeal.

"Honestly, it's Armageddon out there, man. The government ain't done shit. FEMA's here, but for what? Keepin' us all together and fed? But no one knows how long that's gonna last. There's already been lootin' and other robberies. The guys down at the station and me tried our best to keep things under control, but it's that much harder when you got the undead tryin' to eat your ass at the same time as tellin' fuckin' Tom, Dick and Harry to get the fuck on up out the store and leave the looted food behind. Shit. It's like martial law in other places throughout the state…" Shane offered before Rick interrupted.

"Atlanta?" Rick asked, concerned for Michonne's safety.

"Yeah, that's where the army is right now. It's probably the best place for us to go to if we can. There's no protection out here for us, well, at least nothin' like in the cities. The station is pretty much empty and I sure as Hell don't expect you to leave the kids right now, but someone has to do somethin' to keep law and order; they need to send in the military. If they do, we can stay at the school for a while, if they don't send the army, I say we need to get the fuck outta here. This ain't Georgia, man; not anymore. This is somethin' outta some fuckin' nightmare horror movie. "

Rick listened to his friend and his mind was awash with one hundred different thoughts; he was worried about his wife, but he knew he had to keep the children safe first. Shane had been following updates on the situation while Rick was busy being a father; he would trust Shane's judgement for he knew his partner always had his back. He thought about the safe-zone that had been set up; he thought about leaving their home. There were so many decisions to be made, and so little time to make them in.

"Is the high school safe enough for now?" Rick queried, still not certain that he wanted to leave their family home.

"Yeah, I guess. I dunno, man. It seems like it. I mean, there's safety in numbers, and they can keep us fed until someone comes to help us. I know you wanna wait here at the house for Michonne, but right now, I don't think it's that safe. Especially for the kids. At least there's fences and medicine there at the school. And it will give us some time to think about what to do next; about gettin' to where there's military backup. We gotta move now though. Don't know how many more stragglers are walkin' around."

Rick considered what Shane was saying and knew he was right. After what had just happened, he knew he had to have the children in a safe place.

"Besides, when Michonne comes back, they'll bring her straight to where we're all stayin'. She'll be able to find y'all, Rick. If we don't get to her first."

Shane added, knowing why his friend was hesitant about leaving his home and wanting to ease his mind. Rick glanced at Carl who was holding Judith and was now looking slightly afraid; he ran his hand over André's hair and kissed his son on top of his head. He had to keep them all safe, he had to. They would see Michonne soon enough, he thought; and when they did, they would all be together and they would be alright.

Rick and Carl packed a few bags of clothing and other items that they would need; he made sure to grab a photo frame containing their family portrait that sat on the bedside table in their bedroom. Shane ensured that Judith and then André were placed securely in the squad car after he filled it with whatever food they could find as well as a first aid kit and any weapons Rick had around the house. Rick and Carl hurriedly made their way to the car and got in; they sadly threw a glance at their family home, not sure when or if they would be seeing it again.

\m/ o.o\m/

"Check her!"

Yelled the man with the gun as he stepped aside and two medics rushed around from behind him and moved towards Michonne. She was still in shock and tried to fight them off as they endeavoured to check her extremities for any wounds. Michonne pulled her right hand free and made a fist before punching the young man who tried to hold her in place. He stumbled backwards and the other medic finished the examination as Michonne struggled and screamed at them to let her go.

"No bites or scratches, Sargeant!"

"Okay, she's not gonna make this easy and we don't need her screamin' to attract more o' those things, so sedate her and let's get the fuck outta here." The military man said.

"But she's pregnant…" Started the medic whom she had hit in the face.

"And I don't give a flyin' fuck." Said the Sargeant. "I was given orders to get the survivors outta here, so let's just get it done! There, grab the wheelchair."

That was the last thing Michonne recalled hearing before she felt a needle prick her skin and she was rendered unconscious.

\m/ o.o\m/

Unaware of how much time had gone by, Michonne awoke with a pounding headache in a slightly darkened room that appeared to be in a hospital. She was hooked up to a drip and the beeping of a heart monitor broke the silence. Hazily, she glanced around the room; it was a hospital ward and there were a number of other people in the other beds surrounding her. As she moved to sit up, she felt a sharp pain run through her lower abdomen. It felt as if she was being torn open and the intense pang caused her to flinch and cry out; she lifted the white blanket and looked down. Michonne gasped when she noticed that she was no longer pregnant; she screamed loudly, waking the other patients and causing nurses to come rushing into the ward.

The pain that was coursing through her lower half did not deter her from trying to fight the three nurses off as they tried to stop her from moving and injuring herself.

"Where's my baby! Where the fuck is my baby! Help me! Someone, please help me! My baby! Rick! Riiiiiick!"

Michonne yelled as they tried to subdue her; her tears blurring her sight as she tried to muster enough strength to harm her captors and make her escape. One of the nurses was able to force the needle containing a sedative into her flesh while the others held her down. Michonne sobbed as she felt herself slipping away. She weakly and softly whispered one last plea before the sedative began to work.

"_My baby…please, give me back my baby…"_

* * *

><p>AN: Aww how scary it must be. Thanks for reading and there's more to come.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Responses

A/N: Thanks for the reviews **literaturechick**; **Soul93**;** CodeName-M.e**;** KK **(where have you been? I've missed your reviews lol); **KyannaLashae**; **Alex311**; **focussedOnProsperity**; and **Guest**.

focussedOnProsperity: Cheers for that; obviously for an AU like this to work the stakes have to be changed. It is definitely harder for them than it was on the show, but that's the beauty of it; this isn't the show and this story arc hasn't been told so I can make it as easy or difficult as I want! And I'm not sure if you've been reading many of my other stories, but I absolutely like to make things harder for the characters! Hahaha that being said, I love them and only want them to be happy; but alas, it is darkest before dawn.

\m/ o.o\m/

Carl, Judith and André lay fast asleep on one of the cots in the gymnasium of the high school while Rick and Shane spoke to the person from FEMA who was in charge of the response team. It seemed as if there would be no military assistance heading to their part of the state just yet; there was a lot of ground to cover throughout the entire country and regions had to work with what resources they had been given. Rick looked at the young woman disbelievingly before tilting his head and speaking.

"Look, ma'am, I got three kids with me, okay; I need to know now if we should sit around here and wait until they pull your team out to go somewhere else or wait for some military backup that probably ain't comin', or do I need to take my family to where it's safer?"

The woman looked apologetically at Rick before answering.

"Sir, do you want my honest opinion right now? Do you want to know what it's been like out there these past few days?" She asked, looking from Rick to Shane.

Rick nodded in the affirmative and waited for her to speak.

"At this point, you are lucky that this county even has a response from the government. At this point, we have no comm tech and we're just going on our last directives which was to get a centralized safe-zone established in a number of regions throughout Georgia; and that's only 'cause your governor is the commander-in-chief of the US state military forces. Frankly, everywhere else is goin' to shit quicker than here, with the exception of maybe DC. So all I'm saying is, you're bein' looked after a lot better than most other places in this country. If you wanna leave, you're takin' a big risk. But if you stay, we honestly can't say if more help is coming, at least not until communications are back online. We lost comms this morning with Atlanta. My opinion is for you to wait it out; keep your kids safe until we hear somthin'."

"Thank you for bein' straight with me." Rick offered. "But I need to know if there's anything set up closer to Atlanta? My wife was taken there to hospital and…"

"Which hospital?" She asked, her countenance changing to an almost unreadable look.

"Northside, why?" Answered Rick, noting the change in the woman's demeanour.

"Look, I'm only tellin' you guys this 'cause you're law enforcement, but you gotta keep it quiet until we know more."

Both Rick and Shane nodded in agreement.

"Before the comms dropped out, we got a report this morning that a bunch of hospitals were overrun by the infected; the military went in and dispatched those who were turned."

"Dispatched?" Shane queried, wanting clarification.

"Bullet to the head; head wound is the only way to take 'em down. There's no cure so it's kill or be killed…"

"What about Northside?" Rick asked impatiently.

"I'm sorry, but Northside was one of the hospitals that were overrun."

Rick felt deflated as a loud ringing sounded in his ears. He felt his stomach drop and his heart sink as he pressed his hands to his temples.

"What are you sayin'?" Asked Shane as he glanced sideways at his friend.

"I'm sayin', the army went in and shot a bunch of infected patients and staff as well as those who'd turned…"

"What about survivors, surely everyone wasn't turned. What about the survivors?" Rick demanded, feeling the ire rise in the pit of his stomach.

"There were only a few; women and children were a priority for evac…"

"Was there a list of names for evac? Surely there had to be." Shane added, his law enforcement thinking kicking in.

"I assume so, but they didn't give it to me."

"Fuck! You mean you didn't bother to ask." Said Rick, as he began to pace backwards and forwards. "This is fuckin' bullshit!"

"Look, ma'am, where did they send the survivors?"

Shane asked, trying to remain calm himself; Rick had walked away from Shane and the FEMA representative and sat on a cot near his children; his head buried in his hands.

"It's a slim chance that Deputy Grimes' wife was even one of the survivors if she was pregnant _and_ on the critical list…"

"Listen, lady, see that man over there? He's been my best friend since we was little kids; we went through school _and_ the academy together. I'm an asshole and a screw up, but he always stuck by me; he's the most loyal person I know. You see his wife, she came to this country when she was ten years old. Saw her mama and daddy shot dead in front of her and she kept her little sister alive until they were saved. So don't you ever assume that he's just gonna take your word that his wife didn't make it and not look for her; and don't assume that she didn't make it 'cause she's a fighter, a survivor. Now please just fuckin' tell me where they sent the ones who made it." Said Shane sternly, feeling his emotions overwhelm him.

The young woman stood silent a moment, slightly resentful for not just telling them where the survivors were in the first place instead of compounding their anxiety.

"I'm sorry." She said. "Grady Memorial, survivors from the other hospitals were sent to Grady."

\m/ o.o\m/

Michonne's eyes slowly flickered open as she awoke in a small hospital bed, in a small hospital room on her own. Her head was spinning and pounding; she could barely move, and when she did, pain shot up from her abdomen. Then she remembered what had happened; she remembered that she was in a strange place, that she was being held captive and that someone had taken her baby. Suddenly, she heard the door handle move and the door then swung open. A woman dressed in white stepped cautiously inside of the room and glanced to Michonne.

Readying herself to fight, Michonne moved to raise her right hand, but noticed that she had been shackled to the bed.

"What's the meaning of this?" She asked, shaking her arms and causing the manacles to rattle against the bed frame.

"Where's my baby? Where am I?"

"Hi, I'm Sara." The woman started. "What's your name?"

"That doesn't matter right now." Michonne said, still groggy from the sedative. "Answer my questions."

Sara sighed, but looked understanding, and took up a seat in the chair next to the bed.

"Firstly, you're at Grady Memorial. The other hospitals were overrun by the infected so the survivors were evacuated and sent here…"

"Survivors?" Michonne asked, quite perplexed by what was happening.

"I'll explain that later; for now, all you need to know is that you're safe. And so is your baby." Sara said.

Michonne let out a sigh of relief and fell back into the bed.

"What do you remember?" The young woman asked Michonne.

"Not much, just that people were being attacked by other people. Then the man with the gun showed up and that's it."

"Okay, that was the rescue team; they sedated you to move you here and then when we examined you, we realized that the baby was ready to come. You were obviously unconscious, so we operated. Don't look so worried, your son is fine. Give him a few days and he'll be out of the incubator."

"Can I see him?" Michonne asked.

"We'll need you to rest another day or so, you're still healing…"

"I don't care about that, just put me in a wheelchair, please…I have to see him." Michonne pleaded with Sara. "Five minutes, and you can chain me back to this bed if you like, please."

"We only restrained you because you freaked out and hit a nurse…"

"I'm sorry. I won't hit anyone else. I was confused. I feel fine now, I'm not even in that much pain. Please, let me see my baby. The world has gone crazy, I just wanna see him in case something else happens. Please."

Sara contemplated Michonne's request; she thought back to her own loved ones who had recently been struck by the unnamed virus and did not want the woman before her to miss an opportunity at seeing her son, should anything happen.

"Fine, I'll take you there for five minutes, then you've gotta rest, okay?"

"Okay." Michonne smiled. "Thank you."

\m/ o.o\m/

Michonne bit back the pain as Sara helped her from the bed and into the wheelchair that was waiting. The two women made their way down the corridor from Michonne's room to where the babies were housed. There were rows of babies at the front and three incubators toward the back that were empty, except for Michonne and Rick's son.

As Michonne was wheeled closer, she felt her heart swell with such a profound love that it brought tears to her eyes. He was tiny and bald; his skin tone was brown, but pale. It was a little early to tell, but Michonne thought he looked like Rick. _Rick._ How would he know they were moved? She recalled the telephone lines were down and everything happened so fast. Surely someone somewhere was able to tell family that their loved ones were safe, or not.

Their son made a small noise and Michonne's focus was back on him; she would ask Sara these questions later, but for now, she was happy to see her baby alive and well.

"He's beautiful." Said Sara.

Michonne nodded, "Yeah, he's perfect."

"What are ya gonna name him?" The woman enquired.

Michonne smiled, as she did not even need to think about what to call him; she kept her gaze on her small son and said:

"His name is Richard Arthur Grimes."

* * *

><p>AN: Next instalment will contain a little time shift.

How did you like the baby's name? Of course Richard (Rick) means powerful leader and Arthur means strong.

Thanks for reading, there's more to come!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Plans

A/N: Hi all. Thanks for the reviews; I didn't expect to get this type of response from you all. I'm pleased that everyone is liking the Rick and Shane dynamic. I think if not for his rapey obsession with Lori, he would have been really good for the group. He's not a character I liked, but I wanted to try to write him in a way that he could be liked.

So pleased the baby's name was well received. I have this thing about name meanings and I always liked how Rick's meant powerful leader. Being a huge fan of Arthurian literature, I love the name Arthur; it's a strong and noble name. I have high hopes for this child!

* * *

><p>Responses:<p>

Ally: I will keep writing this story until I have no more inspiration left (but I'm pretty much inspired by anything). Thanks for reading!

focussedOnProsperity: Agreed, their bromance used to be strong and I'd like to explore that. I like to envision the Grimes clan as formidable as well.

KK: I'm glad you pointed out that Rick is still very much Officer Friendly right now; he's a great character and I'm going to have a lot of fun writing about how he gets to be the BAMF we all know and love!

CodeName-M.e: Naw, I'm so glad that two of my stories are _both_ your faves! I shan't let you down!

Midnights-AM-Child: Exactly! The name of a king (no spoilers here, maybe lol). You're right, Michonne is very strong and just quietly, our other faves are bound to make an appearance! *wink wink*

Guest: Thank you. You're pretty great yourself!

literaturechick: Aww, I'm happy you felt relieved in knowing they were okay…for now!

Soul93: I am still working on the reunion, and I hope it is to everyone's liking!

KyannaLashae: Haha Richie, I like Richie too! :)

Okay, this instalment will focus on Rick and Shane.

* * *

><p>\m o.o\m/

Rick, his children and Shane spent three days at the safe-zone waiting to hear any news about a rescue or response from the government; as they feared, nothing came. People were feeling anxious and starting to wonder about their family members who were not with them. It was a strange and scary time; everyone felt so very isolated from the rest of the world, and in many ways, they were. No one knew if the virus would go away or if those with the means and the knowledge would cure it. For now, it seemed, everyone was left on their own to figure out a way in which they could stay alive.

Rick was still wondering how it would be possible to get to Atlanta and find Michonne. They had heard about a refugee camp just on the outskirts of the city and it was looking like an option to travel, but they still had the kids in tow. Rick decided that if they could find enough supplies and fuel, then they would make the journey to Atlanta, using the refugee camp as a backup option; Shane agreed to this idea as he had lost hope that the military would be sent to assist. A few other families with children had grown tired of waiting to be rescued and left already; if they could do it, Rick knew that he and Shane could too.

"You've always been the smart one, what's the plan?"

Shane asked Rick as both men sat with the children and ate their rations for breakfast. Rick looked from his friend to his children and wiped his mouth.

"I'm thinkin' you and me go round up some supplies – water, food, fuel, ammo – and then we load up and head to Atlanta first thing in the morning. See if we can't get in touch with Atlanta PD and see if they know anythin' about the evacuations; Hell, see if they know anything at all." Rick said.

Shane nodded.

"Alright. What you got at your place?" Shane asked.

"I dunno, some campin' gear, more ammo. Not much in the way of food. You?"

Replied Rick. He had thought about going to the sporting goods store and just taking what they needed, but he was still an officer of the law, no matter how much the world currently did not resemble the one they were familiar with.

"I got a little, but I'm thinkin' maybe we should go up to the cabin and grab some of the provisions we left for huntin' season. What d'ya say?"

Shane asked, thinking about the hoard of canned foods he and Rick stored at Shane's family's cabin a few miles out of town in the Georgian wilderness.

"Maybe. Although, I think the cabin might be another option for us if it gets too bad in town. I mean, everything we need is there and it's outta the way, so maybe we just grab what we can from in town and see what we can find along the way."

"Yeah, okay, man. You're right, we need another backup in case shit gets real bad." Shane offered.

Carl sat quietly listening to his father and the man who was like his uncle.

"What about Michonne?" Carl then asked, clearly concerned for her welfare, as well as that of the baby.

"We're gonna find her, Carl. We just gotta get to her." Said Rick.

"How will we even know where she is, Dad? We gotta find her. This is all messed up; I don't wanna stay here anymore."

\m/ o.o\m/

Shane drove the squad car out of the high, mesh wire gates of the school ground while Rick sat in the front passenger's seat soundlessly observing his surroundings. The streets looked bare; much like they did on a quiet Sunday afternoon in the sleepy town. There were no living human beings in sight, only a group of infected ones that ambled by, on the face of it, without purpose. The friends chose not to stop and dispatch them because they had to complete their errand quickly.

Shane drew the car to a halt in front of the sporting goods store; Rick peered out of the window and scanned the area for any dangers before reaching for his shotgun. Shane, similarly armed, exited the vehicle first, followed by his friend. They stood still as three of the infected hobbled nearby, not noticing them. Shane approached the front of the store and tried the door; it had been chained shut in an attempt to deter looters. He rattled the chain and padlock before walking back to the car and opening the trunk.

Rick continued to scan the immediate area and then Shane made his way back over with a bolt cutter in hand. Rick held the padlock steadily in place while Shane used the implement to cut through the arduous material. He tossed the heavy chain aside onto the concrete and it made an audible sound; this caught the attention of the infected, and they turned in his and Rick's direction.

"Shit, did they hear that?" Asked Rick as he noticed them approaching.

"Hell, I think so." Replied Shane.

"We shouldn't fire these guns, then. Remember the other ones we passed? The sound could draw 'em. Let me see your knife." Rick said, as Shane threw the sheathed hunting knife to his friend.

Rick began to walk toward the infected with the knife in his hand; Shane came along behind him. The closest creature lunged at Rick and received the blade of the hunting knife right through his forehead before he could grab hold of the Deputy. The corpse fell to the ground in a pile of filth and rotted flesh.

Shane used the butt of his shotgun to crack the skull of one of them, and Rick used the knife on the other. The stench was almost too much to stand, and Rick found his stomach turn as Shane spat on the ground.

"Fuck me, they smell worse than road kill on a hot highway." Shane exclaimed.

Rick nodded and wiped the blade of the knife on his trouser leg; he then gestured for Shane to follow him back to the entrance of the store. Once they have forced the door open, the two men made their way inside.

\m/ o.o\m/

Rick and Shane had procured a number of useful items to assist them on their journey; camping gear, rope, canteens, flashlights, first aid kits, ammunition, fuel, food and other essentials. They had packed the squad car and started on their way back to the school. As they neared the gate, they noticed that people were rushing about frantically. When the car came to a stop and Rick looked closer, he noticed that a number of infected had somehow breached the fence and were attacking those inside of the yard.

Both men left the car quickly with weapons in hand and made their way inside. A young woman was being overpowered by one of the walking corpses just as Shane caved its skull in with his gun. Rick took down two more with the knife before rushing inside the gymnasium where he had left his children. People were running around everywhere as Rick could hear screams and gunshots coming from outside. He glanced over to where his family had been sleeping, but saw the cots empty and his children were nowhere in sight.

"Carl!" He called out, trying to dodge the panicked crowd. "Carl!"

There came no answer as Rick sprinted back outside. He saw Shane and a number of others taking down the infected. A number of people had been bitten and the medics were tending to them. Rick's eyes were becoming blurred as he looked everywhere for his children but could not see them. He grabbed someone by the shirt and drew his face near.

"Have you seen my kids?" He yelled, the young man shook his head and worked his way out of Rick's grip.

Rick did not even notice that Shane and the others had the situation under control and had set about securing the fence once more. He made his way back inside and called out to Carl once more, his voice sounding an octave higher than usual.

All of a sudden, Rick heard a muffled reply; just then, the door to the equipment store opened slowly and out stepped Carl with a scared looking Judith on his hip and André clutching on to his leg. Rick felt a wave of relief wash over him when he saw his children emerge safely from the store room. He rushed over to his family and caught them all in a tight embrace while singing thanks to high heavens. Rick was so very proud that Carl had thought quickly when the panic had erupted. He looked at his son and said almost breathlessly:

"Grab our stuff, we're leavin' right now."

* * *

><p>AN: Next chapter we will find out what's going on with Michonne and baby Richie. Thank you all for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Queues

A/N: Thanks for all of those who are reading this! And thanks to those who have reviewed: KyannaLashae; Alex311; literaturechick; focusedOnProsperity; KK; Midnights-AM-Child; Silent-Reader-220; CodeName-M.e.

This instalment focusses more on Michonne; we get to see where she and the baby are, as well as a glimpse into her childhood.

Warning: implied childhood trauma

* * *

><p>\m o.o\m/

The discomfort Michonne felt was subsiding, and the pain medication she was taking helped; even if it had not helped, there was nothing that would stop her from holding her son for the first time. She had been thinking about him all morning as she waited for Sara to bring him into her room. He was strong and well enough to be removed from the incubator and finally Michonne would get to wrap her arms around him and kiss his face.

It felt as if the wait had been longer than it actually was. Michonne was not the type of person who took breaks, so being told that she needed to rest was something she struggled with. She often listened to the stories that her mother and aunts told about how they were required to get back to their lives very quickly after they gave birth to their children. There was no time to be had resting; everyone had duties. Michonne was raised with the mentality that if there was a job that needed to be done, then that is what she would do.

She felt a sense of sadness overcome her as she thought of her mother and the other women she cared about. They had shown her that family was everything and that you did what you needed to do to protect your family. Her thoughts then turned to Rick and the children; she felt her stomach knot as she recalled that they had lost contact. She did not know if they were safe and sound, and they had no idea that she had given birth and was indeed doing fine. Michonne felt almost sick at the thought that they may not be reunited; she pushed that thought aside.

The small baby had the most calm and quiet manner, she noticed, as the nurse handed him over to her. Michonne smiled down at her son as he lazily opened and closed his eyes. He occasionally scrunched up his nose and opened his mouth; making small sounds but not crying.

"He's lovely."

Said Sara as she watched mother and son in the dimly lit room; she walked over to the window and drew the blinds open so that Michonne could see Richie better.

"Yes, he is."

Michonne replied as she examined his small face. She could not tell yet who he looked more like; her or Rick, but either way, he was a handsome child. Sara returned to where both patients were and smiled at Michonne.

"Give me a yell if you need anything; I'll give you two some time alone." Said the nurse as she walked to the door.

"Sara? Hold on a sec?" Said Michonne, causing the young woman to stop in her tracks and turn. "How long before we can leave?"

Sara stared in the direction of the window, only half aware of how bad it had gotten on the outside; she and a lot of the other staff were staying at the hospital while the crises related to the virus were occurring. She herself had not been home in a number of days and was unsure of when she would get to go home.

"Michonne, I'm really not sure that it's safe out there for anybody right now. I haven't left here in days. It's gotten too dangerous with the infected roaming around. Staying here would be safest for you and your baby." Sara explained.

Michonne looked perplexed. Just how bad was it? She thought.

"I have to get home to my family. Is there no way to do that? What's goin' on out there, Sara? What aren't you telling me?"

"I don't know much about it, really. This virus, it's making people _change_…"

"I know, I saw what it did before I was moved; what the infected people did. Have they found a cure? How long is it gonna be like this?" Michonne asked as she gripped her baby tighter out of instinct.

"Honestly? No one knows. The military's been trying to keep things in order, but the infected are everywhere. And they attack the rest of us. Soon, I don't know if there'll be any of us left." Sara said sadly.

Michonne felt dread rising within her. If the virus could not be stopped, then she did not want to stay away from Rick and the children; they would need her as much as she needed them. She was not the type of person who would place burden on others; if she needed to take care of herself and her son on her own, then she would. Right now, however, Michonne knew she needed help with the plan of action she had decided on; she needed to leave the hospital and get home to her family.

"Sara, I understand what you're sayin', but I can't stay here. I have to get back home to my husband and kids. You say the infected are everywhere, right?" She asked as Sara nodded.

"Well, how are the uninfected people leaving the city? There has to be a way to get out of here."

\m/ o.o\m/

Michonne likened the scene at the rendezvous point to something out of a film about a war torn country; or, as she knew too well, an _actual _scene. There were panic stricken people everywhere wearing frightened and dismayed appearances that were illuminated by bright-burning floodlights atop yellow poles. Their belongings amounted to what they could physically carry; blankets and rucksacks mainly. There were a large number of people dressed in military clothing who were carrying weapons; they wore stern expressions and spoke in exacting manners to the civilians.

Those wanting to leave Grady Memorial had been informed of a refugee camp set up by FEMA on the outskirts of Atlanta. Michonne held her son close to her body, ignoring the slight physical discomfort she was still experiencing. The line towards the bus that would take those who were not infected out of the city was slow moving and long. Michonne looked to the side and suddenly became acutely aware of the people brandishing firearms. For a moment, her mind flashed back to another time and place from when she was a child.

_The shrill noise of screams pierced the air; the harshness of the high pitched sounds rivalled the constant spraying of bullets that drove fear into those who were still there. The air smelled of gunpowder, dust and blood. Michonne felt heavy as she tried to sneak undetected with her sister past the men with the rifles and machetes. They shouted orders and profanities; it felt as if people were crashing against one another in a swirl of anger, fear, violence and tears. Michonne gripped her younger sister's hand tightly, exhaled and ran. _

_The incessant gunshots rang out as her bare feet hit the ground again and again; determined to put distance between her, her sister and those who would threaten their lives. Michonne did not make a sound as she dragged her younger sibling through the trees and bushes that scratched their skin and caught their hair. She could not see where they were going because the blackness of night had shrouded their escape. The voice deep down inside of her being urged her to push forward, and so she ran into the darkness with tears stinging her eyes, her lungs fighting for air and blind faith guiding her._

Michonne jumped when she felt the gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Asked Sara, standing next to mother and child.

Michonne looked somewhat bewildered as she became aware of her surrounding again.

"Uh? Sorry. Yeah, I um, just lost my train of thought for a moment." She offered, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the flashback of a traumatic experience she had suffered.

"Okay. We gotta keep moving now. Look, almost to the front." Sara said excitedly, adjusting the strap of Michonne's bag on her shoulder.

Sara had decided she would leave Atlanta when Michonne did. They both hoped that it would be possible for her to journey with mother and child as presently, women with children were a priority to evacuate. The army was working around the clock to move as many civilians as possible out of the city; it almost seemed as if they knew something the general population did not.

The women finally reached the bus and were stopped by a man in military attire.

"Go ahead, ma'am." He said to Michonne.

She nodded and placed her foot on the step, held Richie in one arm and gripped the grab bar on the door of the bus with her free hand. Still in a little pain, Michonne persisted and made her way onto the bus. She took the nearest available seat and waited for Sara who was taking her time. There was not much room left with only seven places remaining. Suddenly, a number of other women with children boarded the vehicle, but Michonne did not see Sara. The driver closed the door then announced that they were ready to depart just as Michonne stood to look out of the window; there was the young nurse looking panicked and holding Michonne's bag. She had not been permitted to leave until the women who had children were evacuated first, just as they had thought.

"Excuse me." Said Michonne. "My friend, why isn't she allowed to come?"

"She doesn't have kids." Answered the driver.

"She's a nurse. She can help. Please, I have a newborn baby and I'm still recovering. She can help me and others as well." Michonne offered.

The driver seemed to consider what Michonne had said. He then opened the door and motioned for Sara. She pushed through the crowd and made her way onto the vehicle; she and Michonne shared a wide grin as she took up a seat beside mother and son.

"Thank you." Sara offered.

"It's okay." Replied Michonne.

She held onto her baby tighter as the bus drove slowly away from the rendezvous point. Michonne closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cool glass of the window. She tried not to look at the sad and desperate faces of the ones who were being left behind.

\m/ o.o\m/

Rick grew restless as the slow moving traffic on the highway finally came to a halt; they were around thirty miles out of the city limits and the sun had dropped much more quicker than he would have liked. The same announcements were being broadcast on the surrounding car radios; announcements which caused Rick to turn off the radio several miles before they were forced to stop. Shane had walked up the traffic jam a little in an effort to discover what was holding them up. He had found out that people were being stopped from entering the city and the main refugee camp could not accommodate the growing number of people seeking asylum. He also learned that a number of smaller camps had been set up by people who thought that safety was ensured by numbers; he walked quickly back to give Rick the news.

Rick told Carl to stay in the car as Judith and André slept soundly beside their older brother. Rick stepped out of the car, but did not move from it; he looked up the road until he saw Shane approaching.

"Any word?" Asked Rick as he leaned against the door of the vehicle.

Shane stopped just in front of his friend and folded his arms over his chest.

"They ain't lettin' anyone into the city and they're sayin' the refugee camp is gettin' too full." Said Shane.

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and stood up straight.

"Who is it? The army or police that's blockin' the roads?" Rick enquired, thinking if the police were involved, he might be able to persuade someone to help them find his wife.

"Fuckin' military. They're evacuating people as we speak." Answered Shane.

"You think shit's goin' down?" Rick asked, having the same thoughts as his partner.

"Yeah, man. I think so. Fuck! Must be really bad." Shane said. "No way they'd be gettin' people outta the city if things ain't gone to shit."

"That's what I was thinkin'."Replied Rick.

He hid the dread well, Shane thought, but Rick was almost frantic inside. He had no idea where Michonne was and if she was safe; if their baby was safe. Their plans were being stifled and he needed to think quickly. Just then, there was a sound that resembled the rumbling of thunder on a stormy night. Both friends looked to the direction of Atlanta and were shocked with what they saw; aircraft dropping bombs onto sections of the city. The impacts caused the clouded night sky to light up and the screams of those stuck on highway did little to drown out the booming roars of the armaments.

"Fuck!" Said Rick as the sky was lit up several more times.

"We gotta go, man." Offered Shane as both men stared wide eyed at one another. "What're we gon' do?"

Rick opened the car door and glanced at his friend before answering:

"I don't give a shit if the camp ain't takin' anymore people, we're goin' there!"

* * *

><p>AN: Panic is a terrible thing; widespread panic is catastrophic! Let's hope they are reunited soon! Thanks for reading :)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: I want to be like the clouds

A/N: Thanks for reading everyone! Here4Funsies; focusedOnProsperity; jollybelucky; Silent-Reader-220; Alex311; literaturechick; KK; CodeName-M.e; Soul93; and Kimyso, thanks for leaving a review. It's always nice to hear your thoughts. Now, without spoiling the story, I'll answer a few queries:

Regarding Sara – I will look into her past a little (so long as it doesn't detract from our main characters). It's my subtext that she left the hospital when Michonne did because she may have been privy to more than she had let on; without saying too much, let's just say she had nothing left to stay for. As for romance with Shane or someone else, we will have to see what happens! Now, Michonne being a samurai? Hmmm, I'm sure I can work something out…

Also, Carl will have a larger role in the story in time.

Warning: implied violence against children and childhood trauma

* * *

><p>The moonless sky was dark and cast an enveloping shadow across the fractured humanity that existed below it. Rick leaned against the window of the car and glanced outside; he looked up to the heavens at the infinite number of stars and then let out a deep sigh. He had to hope that Michonne was still alive; even after seeing the barrage of bombs that were dropped on the city, Rick had to believe she was safe somewhere. The familiar stirring of worry from within his stomach kept his senses keen and his heart heavy. He wiped his hand over his mouth and then glanced at where his friend snored softly, thankful that he had some help since everything had went so terribly wrong. The children were soundly sleeping in the back and Rick closed his eyes, trying to gather strength for their journey in the morning. They would approach one of the camps in the light of day and he would pray that Michonne was in one of them.<p>

\m/ o.o\m/

Michonne found it difficult to get comfortable in the small tent that she had been given. Still experiencing some discomfort from her operation, she had a hard time trying to shift positions. Her son was wrapped up and sleeping beside her peacefully. The small child had no idea about the world he was born into; it was a frightful place before the virus had spread, but now they had inherited an uncertain existence. Michonne gently ran her finger over her son's cheek and could not help but smile despite the fact that she was worried about what might happen to them; what had happened to Rick and their children. She would not let the trepidation weigh her down. Regardless of how difficult things might become, Michonne was determined to find her family.

As much as she wanted to begin her journey home in the morning, she knew that she needed to take more time to rest and heal. She needed to be strong to effectively protect her son from the infected; she knew that Rick would be doing all that he could to stay safe. He and the children would be fine, and while her heart was aching to see and hold them again, she knew she had to take a few more days before continuing on the journey.

\m/ o.o\m/

"There's another sign, man." Said Shane, pointing to the side of the dirt road. "Mustn't be too far now."

Rick nodded in agreement and steered the car slowly around a bend in the road. The authorities had placed signage for survivors to follow that would lead to the refugee camps. There were utterances of the main camp not being equipped to take any more survivors, but Rick reasoned they would not turn children away. He would make them see that his family needed to stay there; they needed to be safe.

A short time later, as they rounded another bend, several vehicles came into view followed then by a mass of tents. Rick sat up straighter and glanced over at Shane; he felt his chest fill with hope as they finally found one of the camps. There were some people walking around carrying what looked like supplies; a number of military personnel with firearms and several others wearing clothing that displayed FEMA.

Rick parked the car and then turned to his friend.

"How you wanna do this?" Shane asked as he ran his fingers through his dark hair and squinted out of the window.

"Find who's in charge and see what our options are." Rick replied with the most practical answer he could think of.

"Alright then. Are we all goin' or just one of us?" Shane said after looking back at Rick.

"I'll go. Y'all stay here and wait for me." Rick answered.

With that, he turned and looked at his children; the smaller ones were tired and hungry, but oblivious to what was going on. Carl appeared to be scared and confused. Rick offered him a reassuring smile, to which Carl responded by smiling weakly back at his father. Rick stepped out of the car, checked his pocket to ensure he had some identification on him and approached one of the men who was wearing military attire and a gun.

\m/ o.o\m/

"The fact of the matter is that we just don't have the rations to feed any more people here, Deputy." Said the FEMA representative who was in charge of the camp.

"We had another lot of people arrive last night, and we've had to cap our numbers."

"So you're tellin' me you're just gonna turn people away even if they got kids?" Rick asked, as he tilted his head to the side slightly' hands on his hips.

"Look, there's another much smaller camp set up further on down the road. It doesn't have the military presence that we do, but there's safety in numbers, Deputy. I think it's your best option at the moment. Oh, here we go." He said as a woman entered the tent with a clipboard in her hand.

"What is your wife's name?" The woman asked as she looked from the official record of those who had arrived in the camp and then back to Rick.

"Grimes, Michonne Grimes."

\m/ o.o\m/

Michonne winced a little as Sara checked how she was healing; the skin was still tender where she had received the surgery to deliver her baby, but she was better. She felt less pain and was feeling stronger. There were not many people in the tent that was set up as a hospice to treat anyone who was wounded or sick. Michonne opted not to stay there when they had arrived the night before; she had bad memories of tents like that one...

_The smell of blood was ripe in the air and assaulted her senses just as much as the perpetual wails from the injured did. Michonne sat quietly and watched as the medic skilfully sutured her sister's arm where the deep gash had been; she ignored her own pain and hid her own injuries so that her sister could receive treatment. Somehow they had been found after having to flee from their home the night before. They were taken to a camp, fed and cared for by people who spoke a language Michonne did not understand; they did not speak a word to anyone when they had first arrived. Michonne did not know who they could trust because in one day of horror, her parents were taken from her. _

_Dried tears remained on her cheeks as she watched fresh ones well in her sister's eyes. Shiri was not that much younger than Michonne, but she did not fully understand what was happening. She had spent the previous night crying and asking where their mother and father were, Michonne knew it would be the same again that night. After Shiri's wound was treated, the girls were led to the large tent and given a blanket to place on the ground near the corner. The two small girls lay down and Michonne could feel Shiri crying again. The older girl drew the younger one into her arms and held her close. Michonne tried to lull her sister to sleep by singing a song that they knew from school:_

_"__Shiri yakanaka unoendepi? Huya huya huya titambe. Ndiri kuenda kumakore. Kuti ndifanane nemakore."_

\m/ o.o\m/

Rick took the clipboard from the woman and scanned the page that contained surnames that began with the letter g; immediately, he felt the tears threaten to fall from his eyes as he let the pages of listed survivors fall from his hands and land in the dirt.

* * *

><p>AN: Goodness, are they even in the same camp? Gonna have to make you wait and see!

Also, _Shiri Yakanaka_ is a Zimbabwean play school song and translates to:

_Beautiful bird where are you going?_

_Come, come, come let's play._

_I'm going to the clouds._

_I want to be like the clouds._

For those who are interested in world politics and human rights issues, I'm basing what happened to Michonne as a child with the ethnic cleansing that happened in Matabeleland in the 1980s; it was reported that more than 20,000 civilians were killed by the Zimbabwean Fifth Brigade and buried in mass graves. _This ain't Georgia_ refers to how horrible things happen all over the world and what we know and how we live can change in an instant; what we knew as our home can be changed so much that we don't recognise it anymore. I always thought the ZA resembled a warzone. Anyways, that's some background for those interested.

Hope you all liked this update, please let me know what you thought of it; there's more to come!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Reunification

A/N: thanks to those who have read, reviewed and followed. You are awesome, you know that, right?

Some responses to the faithful few:

severelybabykryptonite: Thank you. Glad you like the baby's name. And yes, it would be a very trying time for both of them.

Alex311: Thanks! I wanted to bring to light some of the atrocities that have happened, and Danai Gurira's family is from Zimbabwe so I thought it only natural to base Michonne's backstory there.

Belle: Thanks for taking the time to review! Other characters will be making appearances along the way and we will find out what happened to Shiri!

focusedOnProsperity: I had thought about the coincidences between this fic and that episode too; the subtext in it was harrowing. What a truly humbling experience it must have been to meet survivors of such terrible atrocities. I will never forget my visit to the Jewish Museum in Sydney and how sobering it was to talk to Holocaust survivors. One dear old man who survived Auschwitz brought me to tears when he said that every day since he was liberated he wakes up in the morning and sings loudly and badly. His wife never liked his singing voice, but he still sings every single day; his reason being that he is happy to be _alive_, so he sings_._ It is truly horrible the way we humans can treat one another and it saddens me greatly; but what always, _always _amazes me is the resilience of the human spirit. Thanks for your thought provoking review.

Literaturechick: Thank you. Glad you're enjoying the details and the basis of Michonne's backstory.

Silent-Reader-220: Oh I'm not gonna spoil it for you lol keep reading…

Soul93: Aww, it was a bit short and I love a good cliffhanger!

KK: I totally agree with you on that; it can be hard to imagine what horrors others live through. Thank you, I really do want to handle the content respectfully and give it context. I have so much respect for the survivors of that atrocity as well as others.

Midnights-AM-Child: Thank you. I'm pleased I can bring attention to what happened back then through my little story.

CodeName-M.e: I always enjoy your words whether they are many or few! Thanks.

Okay, back to it.

* * *

><p>"Deputy? Deputy, are you alright?"<p>

The words faded away as Rick felt an overwhelming surge of different emotions encompass him; he entwined the fingers of both hands and placed them over his eyes while tilting his head backwards.

"Deputy? Your wife? Is her name on the list?"

The woman asked, and this time Rick heard. His hands fell to his side as his bottom lip began to quiver. His gaze met the woman's gaze and he let go of a breath that he did not even know he was holding. His trembling mouth formed a weak, small smile.

"Yeah, she's here. They're here."

\m/o.o\m/

"How do you feel today?" Asked Sara as Michonne slowly and carefully drew her top down over her abdomen.

She glanced down at her small son on the cot, wrapped securely in his blanket; oblivious to the world around him.

"I feel better." Michonne replied, looking a little sombre. "Just glad we're safe for now."

Sara nodded and offered a small smile.

"We'll be fine. Soon you'll be able to make your way home to see your…"

Sara's words of assurance trailed off when she noticed a man standing and staring in the entrance of the tent.

"Michonne?"

A weary and gravelly voice called softly. Michonne recognized the voice right away. She felt her stomach flutter and her heart skip a beat as she slowly turned; praying she was not imagining this happening.

When her eyes met his, she felt the tears run down her face and then offered him a wide smile.

"Rick."

She whispered as he rushed quickly towards her; he wrapped his arms around her tightly, drawing her into a hug while she threw her arms over his shoulders, ignoring her discomfort. He then buried his face in her hair and let his own tears of joy and relief fall. Rick hesitantly pulled away from his wife and then cupped her face in his hand while he searched it with his eyes. They both smiled at one another before Rick pressed his lips gently to Michonne's mouth. The languid kiss releasing the anxiety and fear both had felt.

"I love you. I love you. I'm so glad you're safe…I had to come lookin' for you."

He said breathlessly while rubbing his hands up and down Michonne's arms; she nodded and wiped away her tears.

"I love you too, Rick. Where're the kids?" She asked, instinctively looking behind him.

"They're in the car with Shane; I'll go get 'em in a minute." He offered as Michonne sighed in relief at hearing that their children were safe.

Rick's hand travelled down the side of her body and rested at her waist before he finally remembered that he had seen her name on the list, as well as the note beside her name mentioning that she had a baby with her.

"Where is he? Where's our son?" Rick asked, before his eyes fell upon the small, sleeping child.

Michonne turned and motioned at their son and Rick felt his heart swell with joy and a sense of pride. Michonne placed her hand at Rick's shoulder and gently stroked it before speaking to him in hushed tones.

"Go on, daddy. Go hold your baby boy."

\m/o.o\m/

Rick sat down on the cot carefully and waited for Michonne to hand Richie over to him; he had always admitted that he did not hold Carl or Judith right away as they seemed so small. He never felt comfortable holding newborn babies and often worried he would hold them the wrong way or drop them. After everything that had happened in the past week, Rick knew that their time on Earth could be short and that things could change for the worst at any given moment.

He placed his arms into a cradling position and waited for their baby to be handed over. Rick could not begin to fathom the immense feeling of happiness and love that washed over him as he finally held his tiny son. The tears returned as he stared down at the small baby who had remained calm and asleep. Rick leaned his head down and kissed Richie ever so gently on the brow before looking to his wife who was seated next to them.

"What's his name?" he finally asked, remembering how they had discussed a few different names but never settled on anything.

"The first name that popped into my head." Michonne began. "Richard Arthur."

Rick let out a slight chortle before smiling widely.

"You named him after me after all?"

He asked, recalling how Michonne had said that, while naming their son after him was an option, she would most likely choose another name that suited his character when he arrived. Rick was a little saddened by her initial admission, but had conceded that she should name their son as he was, in fact, terrible with names. He had not named Carl and admitted that Carl had actually named Judith, so he was pleased that Michonne would be the one to choose now.

Michonne offered him a soft smile.

"Yeah. It was the first name I could think of. I know I said I wanted him to have a name that suited him when we finally got to meet, but all I could think of was you. He's strong, just like you." She said, finding a lump in her throat as she spoke softly.

"Then you should've named him after you, 'cause you're the strongest person I know."

Rick offered with a grin that Michonne reciprocated; he then continued to speak as his smile fell away.

"How are you feelin'?" He asked, concerned.

"Still tender, but I'll be fine." Came her reply.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there with you. With all this shit goin' on; I was so scared, Michonne. I had no way to contact you. No way of knowin' if you were alright. This, all o' this," Rick said while gesturing to their surroundings, "it ain't like anything I've seen before."

Michonne nodded sadly as she recalled her own feelings of trepidation and uncertainty from the past several days. She shifted closer to her husband and placed her hand gently on his thigh, reminding him that they had found each other and would face things together.

She could only imagine how all of this must have felt so foreign to Rick; not knowing where his family was; being confused and afraid; having to leave their home; being in a refugee camp. While Michonne had experienced horrors in her motherland, she did not think that something similar would happen again in the land she now called home. She had seen the worst of humanity at such a young age, but what was happening to them now was completely unheard of. Those who were infected did not seem _human_ anymore. She took a deep breath and leaned her head on Rick's shoulder before speaking.

"At the hospital, I saw the infected ones tear another person apart with their hands and teeth; they were _eating_ another person." She said quietly. "Truly, I've seen some bad things in my lifetime, but that was indescribable. Rick, it's like…It's…"

"Like they ain't even human anymore?" He added, glancing down at their sleeping child.

"Yeah; like they're not even human. They change completely. And apparently if you're bitten or even scratched, you're dead. They haven't even got a cure. You would think they'd have a cure if they were tracking the spread of the virus. I mean, come on; the health organizations, the CDC, the government, they would've had to know about it beforehand."

Michonne said, feeling frustrated because the pragmatist in her liked order and efficiency; presently, the world around them had fallen into chaos and there was not much order left. She was astounded at how quickly the virus was spreading, how it changed ordinary people into monsters and how there seemed to be nothing anyone could do about it.

Rick nodded his head.

"At the station, we were only given small bits of information, and then I stayed home with the kids and the communications went out. We we're lucky to get away from home. It's like they were walkin' around in groups and attackin' people. We had to take 'em out. People we used to know. People we went to church with. " He dropped his head as he thought of having to dispatch those who were infected.

"They attacked the camp that was set up in town. We thought Atlanta would be the best place to be; ya know, safest. Then we saw 'em droppin' the bombs. Shit, Michonne. How bad was it there?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Driving to the evacuation point, I saw groups of 'em walking around. It was unreal, babe. They just kept walking like they had no purpose. Like all they needed to do was _feed_ on other people." She recalled.

They both remained quiet a moment before Michonne spoke once more.

"What're we gonna do, Rick?"

"I don't know, but we can't stay here." He said, remembering that the person in charge had said the camp was not taking any more people.

"Why? What's wrong with this place?" Michonne asked, knowing that those types of camps were never truly safe, but it was the safest option they had at that moment.

Rick explained to Michonne about the camp being full and that there were others close by. She agreed to leave after initially wanting to go and speak with whomever had said they could not stay; the lawyer in her not wanting to back down from a fight.

"I'll have to tell Sara and see if she wants to leave when we do. She's helped me out so I owe it to her." Michonne finally said.

Rick nodded and said he would accompany Michonne to find her friend who had left the married couple alone to have a private moment. He cautiously stood with his son in his arms and watched as his wife got to her feet and tried to hide a grimace from him.

"You sure you're okay, darlin'?" Rick asked while stepping closer to Michonne so that she could hold on to him if she needed to.

"Yeah, just still a little sore from the Caesarean. I'm fine." She said reassuringly, and she was telling the truth.

They both headed outside of the tent in order to find Sara; as they began to walk the sound of bloodcurdling screams pierced the otherwise quiet day along with the sounds of gunshots.


End file.
